Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,318 in Jaco Beach versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,123 in Jaco Beach versus $2,342 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,928 in Jaco Beach versus $3,199 in Mexico City.

Living in Jaco Beach costs roughly 11% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jaco Beach is 2% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 ₡3,189

$13.29 MX$231

-47.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.46 ₡18.0K

$53.8 MX$933

-26.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.11 ₡4,162

$9.29 MX$161

-1.94%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ₡1,806

$3.61 MX$62.6

9.42%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₡701

$1.56 MX$27.03

-1.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₡422

$1.12 MX$19.46

-17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 ₡1,345

$3.13 MX$54.3

-5.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,324

$4.71 MX$81.7

-38.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡635

$1.70 MX$29.54

-18.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 ₡917

$2.77 MX$48.03

-27.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡983

$1.96 MX$34.05

9.69%

Eggs

$2.42 ₡1,108

$2.60 MX$45.21

-6.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 ₡4,421

$9.94 MX$173

-2.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 ₡3,819

$8.10 MX$141

3.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ₡5,072

$11.50 MX$200

-3.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 ₡2,108

$2.87 MX$49.84

60.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡696

$1.73 MX$30.07

-12.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 ₡1,884

$2.00 MX$34.73

106.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 ₡1,437

$2.04 MX$35.38

54.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ₡632

$2.08 MX$36.14

-33.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ₡610

$2.20 MX$38.12

-39.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₡408

$1.45 MX$25.24

-38.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ₡812

$1.07 MX$18.63

66.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.15 ₡2,353

$4.27 MX$74.2

20.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 ₡6,365

$14.32 MX$249

-2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,106

$1.76 MX$30.62

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₡901

$3.70 MX$64.2

-46.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 ₡458

$0.35 MX$6.12

185.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₡857

$1.34 MX$23.18

40.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 ₡827

$0.28 MX$4.83

546.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 ₡3,637

$5.33 MX$92.6

49.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₡673

$1.34 MX$23.27

9.70%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.9K ₡17.3M

$19.1K MX$332.0K

98.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.9K ₡14.6M

$23.9K MX$414.5K

33.66%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$71.0 ₡32.4K

$39.86 MX$692

78.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.01 ₡10.1K

$26.78 MX$465

-17.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.16 ₡19.3K

$29.36 MX$510

43.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.47 ₡21.7K

$53.4 MX$927

-11.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.05 ₡11.0K

$26.09 MX$453

-7.82%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 ₡4,567

$6.40 MX$111

56.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$444 ₡202.7K

$440 MX$7,647

0.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,662 ₡3.0M

$10.8K MX$186.6K

-38.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 ₡28.0K

$57.6 MX$1,000

6.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 ₡23.1K

$45.02 MX$781

12.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡57.1K

$104 MX$1,801

20.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡49.6K

$108 MX$1,874

0.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 ₡249.8K

$1,013 MX$17.6K

-46.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 ₡225.6K

$630 MX$10.9K

-21.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,893 ₡864.7K

$2,162 MX$37.5K

-12.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 ₡475.4K

$1,222 MX$21.2K

-14.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,793 MX$65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$397 ₡181.3K

$1,075 MX$18.7K

-63.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

11.34

-10.32%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jaco Beach: April 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Jaco Beach and $1,013 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 171% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39 in Jaco Beach vs $54 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $285, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jaco Beach vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jaco Beach is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 171% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $547 in Jaco Beach versus $1,013 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $444 in Jaco Beach versus $440 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jaco Beach – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,318 in Jaco Beach versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jaco Beach but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Jaco Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jaco Beach is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Jaco Beach and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jaco Beach gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.